Ian nodded. “Yes, Adam told me. I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you. I told Melody how I stole from you.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, I needed to explain your reluctance to have me on the committee.” Annie stopped again. She straightened her shoulders and looked him right in the eye. “Can we be friends?”
Ian shook his head. “I don’t know what we can be. It’s too complicated, and I have to admit I’m not over the hurt. I need to work on that forgiveness—not only forgiving you, but forgiving myself for not saying what we were doing was wrong.”
“You did eventually.”
“Yeah, but it was too late.”
“You can’t put that on yourself. I made my own decision.” Annie tapped her chest. “We’re each responsible for what we did.”
“But I feel like I let you down.”
“We let each other down, but in the end we have to answer for our own sins.”
“Thank God for sending a savior.”
Annie smiled. “Thank God for His mercy.”
“That’s something we can agree on. Let’s go get something to eat before we run out of time. We have to get you to that interview.”
“Believe me, I’ll pass on lunch before I miss that interview.”
After signing into the assisted-living facility, they quickly got their food. Like the last time they’d eaten here, Ian was in charge of getting the drinks. Annie immediately spotted Cora, Ruby and Liz and headed in their direction. The elderly ladies were all smiles as Annie and Ian joined them.
“You’re just the people we needed to see.” Cora tapped a finger on the table.
“And why is that?” Ian placed the drinks on the table.
“We want you two to join us in our weekly dominoes game this evening at six.” Cora grinned and Ruby and Liz agreed. “Usually we draw a pretty good crowd. And since it’s mostly us seniors, the game ends early.”
Ian ate his meal and wondered whether he was imagining the conspiratorial looks that passed between the three ladies. Were they trying to push Annie and him together? Paranoia tripped through his mind. Not good.
“Oh, that sounds like fun!” Annie poked him in the arm. “Don’t you think?”
It didn’t sound like fun, but he wasn’t going to say so. He’d never enjoyed playing board games, even when he was a kid. “I’ll reserve judgment.”
“So then you’re in, right?” Eyeing him, Ruby grinned. “We have a great time.”
“I guess you’ve convinced me that this is something not to miss.” Ian continued to eat, hoping the conversation would take another turn.
It did as the ladies started asking Annie about her job interview. In between bites, Annie explained how she had applied for a lot of jobs online. While the women chatted, Ian stewed. Everything about today had changed his relationship with Annie. Forgiveness topped the list of changes he promised to make in his life.
The only problem with forgiving Annie and putting the past behind him was the unresolved feelings for her that surfaced whenever they were together. How was he going to deal with his feelings without the buffer of his unforgiving attitude and hurt? Take those away, and he was vulnerable to so many things about her.
He had to keep his distance, but that wasn’t going to happen when they had to work together on the finances and visit churches together. And now he’d been coerced into playing dominoes with Annie and a bunch of senior citizens. He needed a suit of armor to ward off her charm. All those things that had attracted him to her when they were teenagers still called to him. He’d traded unforgiveness for the chance to let her break his heart again. He had to do everything in his power not to let that happen.
* * *
After the interview, Annie sat on a bench near the office building waiting for Ian to pick her up. When he’d volunteered to give her a ride, his offer confirmed to Annie that he was genuinely excited about this opportunity for her. He’d told her from the beginning that he wanted her to succeed, but beyond that he couldn’t say whether they could even be friends. The thought saddened her. But it was probably for the best. Friendship with Ian could entice her to want more—more than was wise for either one of them.
She felt equally wary about the interview she’d just had. The meeting with the group who was hiring had gone only okay. For two hours Annie talked with them as they bombarded her with questions. Strangely enough she was thankful for the way Ian had challenged her at the finance meeting. Without realizing it, he’d prepared her for the tough grilling she had encountered at the job interview. But despite being able to hold her own, she didn’t have a good feeling about this job prospect.
Just as she told herself not to let negative thoughts flood her mind, Ian arrived. He looked over at her as she got into the car. “Did the interview go badly?”
Annie shrugged. “Not badly, but I didn’t get the feeling that I’ll get a call back. You know how you can sense those things.”
“You never know. You could be wrong, and even if you’re not, it was good practice.” Ian started the car and pulled out onto the road.
“You’re trying to put a positive spin on this.”
“Why not? You have the temporary job for now, and you just keep looking.”
Annie sighed. “I know. It’s just that sometimes it all seems so impossible.”
“Remember. Everything is possible with God. He knows the perfect job for you.”
Ian seemed so sure of God and of himself. Since he’d been sober, had he ever thought about drinking or doing drugs? Did he ever have doubts? Annie wanted to ask, but she pressed her lips together to keep the question from popping out. They rode in silence the rest of the way.
When he pulled his car to a stop in the parking lot near her apartment, she thought about that question again. She didn’t know what answer the question would bring, but she was going to ask it. “Do you ever feel like getting high or having a drink like we used to?”
Ian stared at her as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. He leaned toward her as he put one arm over the steering wheel. “Why are you asking me this, Annie?”
“Because I want to know.” Her heart hammering, she held her breath. Would he answer?
“I mean why are you asking me this now?” Frowning, he shook his head. “Are you thinking such thoughts because you can’t find a job?”
“No, I never got high because I was depressed. I loved the euphoria. I loved to party.” Annie grimaced. “So I wondered whether you ever—”
“Whether I ever think about taking a drink?”
“Yeah. That.”
“Are you?”
Annie wished she could undo this conversation. Why had she asked the question? The answer— She wanted someone who understood the temptation. Melody didn’t know what it was like to crave the next drink or the next hit—to squander everything good for the chance to get high. But Ian did. Annie finally nodded her head. “When you came to pick me up, I had this fleeting thought about going out with you and getting a drink just for the fun of it. I don’t know why.”
A slight smile curved one side of Ian’s mouth. “That was the difference between you and me. I used drinking to forget my troubles, but you liked to drink to have fun.”
At least he didn’t seem to think badly of her. “Maybe we aren’t that different. After all, when I was high, I didn’t have to think about how my parents didn’t care about me. But you used to drink with me to have fun.”
“That’s because I liked being with you. I thought we were having fun together, but we were only kidding ourselves.” His expression turned sober. “I don’t want to return to that way of life.”
“Neither do I, but I’m scared that I can’t be strong enough like you.”
Ian shook his head. “I’m not that strong.
I’m in a recovery group.”
“Here on campus?”
Shaking his head, Ian gave her that wry smile again. “You know most people here don’t know anything about my former addictions. I meet with a group at a church several miles from here. Has Melody connected you with one?”
“Not exactly. I’m doing a Bible study with the ladies who live in my apartment building.”
“Good. At least that’s a start. Remember. Take it one day at a time. Today I’m clean and sober.”
Annie lowered her gaze as she twisted her hands in her lap. “I know that’s the way it’s supposed to be, but I worry about tomorrow and all the days to come.”
“Annie, look at me.”
She didn’t want to look at him, because seeing him made her remember all she’d thrown away—all she wished she could recapture. But could they be good for each other ever again? Her head said no, but her heart said yes. Neither her head nor her heart had any control over what Ian thought about the situation. Finally, she forced herself to look at him. “What?”
“I want you to remember this verse from Matthew. ‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’”
“Yeah, trouble. That’s for sure.”
“Don’t think about the trouble. Think about the good things God has given you today.”
“Okay.”
After they got out of the car, Annie watched him walk away with questions crowding her mind. Was he looking forward to tonight and dominoes with the seniors, or was it only another obligation? He seemed friendly, but he had said earlier that he didn’t know whether they could be friends. Dreaming about getting back together with Ian was futile no matter how much she wanted that to happen. She had to move on, but how was that possible when something was always bringing them together?
* * *
Laughter and boisterous voices bounced off the walls of the dining hall in the assisted-living facility. Ian chuckled as Annie raised her hands in triumph as the two of them won another game of dominoes. He had dreaded this evening and spending time with Annie because he was afraid it would trigger too many bad memories from the past. Instead, he was actually enjoying their time together.
Ian gave Annie a high five. “I picked the right partner for this game.”
“Absolutely.” She grinned at him. “I used to play this at the rehab center, so I’ve had a lot of practice.”
“Do you think it’s fair for you young people to be beating us old folks?” Cora chuckled.
Ian turned the dominoes to prepare for a new game. “Completely fair. After all, you’re the ones who insisted we play.”
Cora shook her head as she got up to move to another table. “Next week Ruby and I will be prepared for a rematch.”
“We’re ready for the challenge,” Annie called after them.
Ian liked seeing Annie in a fun and happy place. At the same time, he worried that spending more time with her could rekindle those old feelings he’d been thinking about. Is that what he wanted? Was it wise? He shouldn’t contemplate that now. Just have fun and enjoy seeing Annie being joyful. He’d never seen her this happy in a sober state. She’d often found her happiness in a bottle of rum. He was glad to see that had changed.
When the evening came to an end, Annie and Ian were dominoes champions of the week. Annie hoisted the cheesy trophy—a cluster of dominoes glued to a gold-colored cup—over her head and grinned. Ian stood beside her as he relished her elation. Seeing her smile lessened his anxiety over what to do with their relationship. While Annie basked in their triumph, Cora, Ruby and Liz—the Three Musketeers as Annie had dubbed them—came over to extend their congratulations.
“Since you’re so good at dominoes, we’re going to challenge you to a different game. We play bridge on Tuesday nights. What do you say?” Cora asked.
“That sounds like fun.” Annie looked at Ian. “What do you think?”
“Me?” Ian shook his head. “I don’t play bridge.”
“You can learn. It’s challenging—good for the mind.” Cora gave him a pointed look. “Annie can teach you.”
Ian surveyed the group of women. What had he gotten himself into? “I have a lot of responsibilities, and I can’t spend my time playing games.”
Cora shook a finger at Ian. “All work and no play makes you—”
“Makes me conscientious.”
Cora chuckled. “Okay, but give it some thought. You might like the game.”
“We’ll see.” Ian looked at Annie. “Ready to go? I’ll walk you back to your apartment.”
“No need for that.” Annie headed for the door.
Wondering if she was trying to avoid him, Ian fell into step beside her. “This is a relatively safe place, but it’s dark. I’d feel better walking you home. Besides, I have to go in that direction to get my car.”
“Okay.”
As they left the building, Ian asked himself why he wanted to do this. Was he concerned for her safety, or did he want to spend more time with her? Tonight had shown him a different side of Annie—one he’d never seen. “I didn’t realize you were so competitive.”
“I learned it from Grandma and Grandpa Payton, especially Grandma. She taught me to play a lot of games.” Looking over at him, Annie smiled. “As soon as I was old enough, we played for hours.”
“I remember how upset you were when your grandparents passed away.” As soon as Ian spoke, he wished he could take it back. He didn’t want to remind Annie of unhappy times.
“I was, but I remember how kind you were to me when that happened. You made me feel special, and I needed that.”
Ian smiled and wondered what she would say if she knew the reason behind his kindness. She might not take it in the way he had intended. He’d been thrilled when his actions gained him the attention of cute little Annie Payton, who had ignored him up until that point. She’d made him feel special, too. Why had they ruined it?
He needed to change the subject. “Do you really want to play bridge? I always thought it was a game for old people.”
Annie gave him a disgusted look. “I can’t believe you said that. Not very PC. I know how to play.”
“You’re the only person our age who plays bridge.”
“You aren’t acquainted with everyone our age.”
“True.” Ian chuckled. “You don’t have to get defensive. I just didn’t realize you knew the game. Something your grandmother taught you?”
“Yeah.”
“See. I told you the game was for oldsters.”
“Quit teasing.” Annie gave him a playful thump on the arm. “I’m serious. I can teach you how to play.”
“I’m serious, too. I don’t have much time for games.” His heart racing from her touch, Ian looked at her as the security light illuminated her pretty features. Her mesmerizing blue eyes looked up at him. He gulped as his heart zipped. His gaze fell to her lips, and for a moment he was tempted to kiss her. No. That would be the worst possible thing he could do—play a game he couldn’t win. He had to get out of here. “Good night, Annie. Thanks for the victory.”
She punched in the building code. “Good night. Bridge lessons are waiting anytime.”
Without responding, Ian waved as he headed to his car. An evening spent with Annie had him thinking wrongheaded thoughts. He couldn’t let those thoughts turn into actions...could he? He should take it just as he dealt with his sobriety—one day at a time.
Chapter Seven
The musical tones of Ian’s cell phone made him sit straight up in bed. The first hints of daylight peeked around the edge of the blinds as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He picked up the phone. Six o’clock. Why was Scott Bartlett calling at this hour of the morning?
Today was Annie’s custody
hearing. She’d waited five weeks for this day since coming to The Village. Was Scott calling about that?
Ian tapped the screen on his phone to take the call. When he heard Scott’s wife on the line, Ian suspected something was wrong. “Cindy, this is Ian. Why are you calling?”
“I’ve got bad news. I had to take Scott to the hospital. He’s having an emergency appendectomy.” Ian couldn’t mistake the distress in Cindy’s voice. “He said I should call because he’s supposed to be in court this morning—a favor he was doing for you.”
“Tell Scott not to worry. I’ll take care of it.” Ian wished that weren’t the case, but he would have to do it. “I’ll be praying for you both. Leave a message to let me know how he’s doing.”
“Thanks. Talk to you later.”
Ian hopped out of bed. How would Annie take this turn of events?
After grabbing a breakfast bar and instant coffee, he headed to his office. He had to get the briefs Scott had shared with him. The case Scott had prepared looked solid. Ian couldn’t see any reason the judge would refuse to reunite Annie with her children unless there was something Scott and he didn’t know about. Ian gathered his things and put them into his briefcase and headed toward Annie’s apartment to give her the news. Ian prayed she would accept his representation without a problem.
Since the evening they had played dominoes together three weeks ago, they’d only seen each other in passing. She’d never mentioned the bridge lessons again. He wasn’t sure whether he was happy or sad about that. He’d been so busy with his cases and court dates that some days he felt he met himself coming and going. Lunch with his dad was a casualty, as well. Now this added to all the craziness.
There was no answer when he knocked on Annie’s door. He knocked again. Still nothing. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number. The phone rang and rang until his call went to voice mail. He left a message, his stomach churning. What did he do now?
Ian went next door and knocked, hoping Annie’s neighbor could give him information. But none of her neighbors seemed to be home, either. He leaned against the wall in the hallway and shook his head. Why was no one home? Finally, he called Melody, but she wasn’t answering her phone, either.
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